On Sunday, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja served as the departure point for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria’s Advance Team, which consisted of 31 officials.
The team, under the direction of the Deputy Director for Training, Ibrahim Idris, would be in charge of planning and executing the Hajj period’s welcoming, lodging, meals, transportation, health, and general welfare of the pilgrims in the Holy Land.
The team, made up of 10 medical personnel and 21 NAHCON officials, will be in Saudi Arabia for the final preparations to welcome the first group of Nigerian pilgrims from Nassarawa State who will be arriving in the Kingdom on Thursday, May 25 for the 2023 Holy Pilgrimage, according to a statement by NAHCON’s Deputy Director (Information and Publications), Mousa Ubandanwaki.
At a brief farewell ceremony held at the Hajj House before their departure to the Holy Land, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, described Hajj as a global issue which aims to establish unity among the Ummah.
He therefore enjoined the officials to take their job seriously by identifying the best goals and methods to achieve success in their assignments which is for the pilgrims to enjoy value for money and obtain Hajj Mabrur.
“You must be diligent, committed, vigilant and particularly, you must have patience and act in the right manner at all times, so that at the end, you can achieve the benefit of here and the hereafter,” Hassan said.
The chairman said that despite the challenge posed by the Sudan Military crises, the commission was able to fulfill its promise and is on course to ensure that the inaugural flight set for Thursday 25th May remained sacrosanct.
Hassan also prayed to the Almighty Allah to assist the commission in making this year’s Hajj, the best experience for the commission and the Muslim Ummah.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance, Nura Yakasai, described the event as epoch, stressing that it marked the beginning of 2023 Hajj operation.
He described the Advance Team as the foundation on which the success of this year’s Hajj will be built.
“If it is very strong, then the rest of the structure will be solid. Therefore I want to enjoin you to discharge your duties with utmost sense of responsibility and I want to assure you of the Commission’s support for your team to achieve the desired objectives”, Hassan stated.
The NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics and Library Services, Sheikh Suleiman Momoh, enjoined the team members to pray for the success of the Hajj exercise when they get to the Holy land.
He said, “I just have one request for you and that is, when you get to Madina, please go and pray for the success of this year’s Hajj.”
Responding on behalf of the Team, Alhaji Tajudeen Akande and Dr. Usman Galadima expressed appreciation to the management for the trust and confidence reposed in them and assured of their determination and readiness to make this year’s Hajj more successful that previous years.
“On behalf of the team, I want to thank the Management for the support extended to us, we will put in our best to ensure we achieve success”, he said.